Car-coupling



(No Model.)

H. J. BENTLEY.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 425,851. Patented Apr. 15. 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HERBERT J. BENTLEY, OF UNION CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,851, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed February 15, 189)- Serial No. 340,622. (No model.)

same.

My invention relates to car couplers in which the car is provided with mechanism for effecting the coupling without requiring the operator to go .between the cars; and it consists of a draw-head in which the link is sup ported on a fulcrum intermediate its ends and rocked to cause its outer end to enter the draw-head of the 'car to be coupled, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of one end of a car embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mechanism for operating the link, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the staple for supporting the same within the draw-head.

In coupling cars there is great danger of injury to the person who hasto attend to it if he is compelled to hold up the outer end of the link with his hand to cause it to enter the mouth or end of the opening in the drawhead of the car to be coupled. To obviate this danger I have constructed the draw-head 1 in such a manner that the link 2 may be pivotally' secured or fulcrumed within it, so that bymoving the inner end of the-link the outer end can be raised or lowered to cause it to freely enter the draw-head of the car which is to be coupled. One way of accomplishing this object is to provide the draw-head with a slight projection or fulcrum 3 at its'onter end and upon its lower portion just within the mouth of the opening 4.

The ordinary holes 5 5 are made in the top and bottom of the draw-head for the reception of the pin 6. In effecting a coupling the inner end of the link is elevated or depressed until the opposite end is in the proper position to enter the opposite draw-head.

One ofthe means which I use for operating the link is shown in the drawings, and consists of a shaft 7, journaled across the end or under floor of the car 8 in any suitable manner, having a handle or crank 9 at each .of its ends, and which project from the sides of the can. These handles can be formed integral with the shaft by bending the shaft, or they can be made separate and secured to the endsof the shaft by means of nuts or lugs. About midway of the shaft a short arm 10 is welded or otherwise attached thereto, to the outer end of which is secured a link or chain 11. The other end of this link or chain,which passes through a slot or hole 12 in the draw-head, is connected with one end of a lever 13, which is pivotallysecured within the opening l by means of a loop or staple 14, which engages with the upper part of the draw-head, so that by rocking the shaft 7 the outer end of lever 13 can be moved up or down. The lever is crooked or bent into a substantially L shape, so that when one arm of it lies along the inner wall of the opening 4 the opposite arm extends diagonally across the opening, as shown in Fig. 1; but when the arm that extends diagonally across the opening is raised by rocking the shaft 7 the opposite end is lowered, as shown in dotted lines, and as it extends far enough forward to engage with the end of the link it forces the inner end of the link downward,which elevates the outer end sufficiently to enter another draw-head, the projection 3 upon the draw-head acting as the fulcrum. In this manner the outer end of the link can project slightly downward to enter a draw-head lower than the one in which it is secured, or it can be held on a level to entera draw-head of the same height, or it can be elevated to enter one which is higher than it. To accomplish all of this, all that is necessary fo r the attendant to do is to remain at the side of the car which has the link secured to its draw-head in' the ordinary manner, and as the cars come together he rotates the shaft 7, by means of the handles 9, sufficiently to cause the outer end of the link to enter the other draw-head as the cars come together, after which the pin in the second drawhead is dropped through the link, as usual, and the cars are coupled to gether.

As each draw-head is to be provided with a lever12 and means for operating it, the free end of the link in entering a draw-head, and especially when it is elevated, might strike against the end of the lever,whieh lies within the upper portion of the opening, unless it be prevented in some manner. To protect the lever from this danger, I provide the drawhead at the upper portion of the mouth of the opening 4 with a slight projection 15, behind which the end of the lever lies and is safe from being struck, although the link may strike it farther-inward toward its pivot;

. but this can do it no damage. With this construction it is necessary to make the drawhead a trifle longer than is usually done, so that the draw-bolt 16 will not interfere with the lever 13 when the cars come together. It will also be necessary to make it a trifle thicker or deeper than the ordinary head, to permit of the mouth of the opening 4 being of the ordinary width, even though'it has the two projections 3 and 14 within it. The faces of these projections are inclined to also assist in guiding the link into the opening.

To prevent the outer end of the lever 13 from accidentally getting below the projection 15 and being damaged by an entering link, I prefer to make the rear end heavier than the front or outer end, which will thus cause it to overbalance the outer end and hold it closely against the upper wall of the opening and behind the projection 15. The

pivotal point of the lever may be provided with a slight crook or bend 16, into which the staple 14 fits, and thus prevent any longitudinal movement of the lever without having to make a hole through it.

Having thus described my invention, but without limiting myself to the exact construction shown, I claim- 1. The combination, with a draw-head for cars, having a fulcrum upon which the link may be supported, of a lever pivotally secured within the draw-head, an operatingshaft across the end of the car, having handles at its ends and an arm at its central portion, and a connection between the end of the arm and the inner end of the lever, substantially as described.

2. The combinatiomwith a draw-head having a fulcrum upon which the link may be supported, and having a projection at its outer end within the upper portion of the mouth of the opening in the draw-head, of a lever pivotally secured within the opening, the outer end of which lies behind the projection when at rest, and means for operating the lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT J. BENTLEY.

Witnesses:

H. S. LYoNs, I N. S. WATERS. 

